Coming Storm - II

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Beta(s) :

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Mild Note :

I know the Dance happens prior to the Breach in canon. Here it is reversed for… Well, raisins. *shrugs* Just sorta happened.

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"The witch responsible is in Beacon?!" Pyrrha hissed when they met up back in their dorm the next day and Jaune explained it all to her. Pacing anxiously, she glared at the floor as she went, as if it was somehow to blame for all the problems to hand. "Cinder Fall…"

"Don't forget Headmaster Ozpin wants to meet me." Jaune added quietly, "And I'm… Pretty sure he knows about me and Roman and Neo."

"Oh, because we can't forget that little tart."

"Pyr..."

"I'm entitled to my jealousy, alongside all the rest, Jaune." Pyrrha countered with a wave of her hand and a pivot so she could pace back towards the door. Pausing for a moment before continuing, she added in a too-stiff way, "By the by, I am very happy for you both."

"You don't sound it…"

"Why no, Jaune, I would never use the guise of a regular, friendly spar to ram Milo up her tiny rear end." She scoffed dramatically, waving him off again and shaking his head, "I'm happy for you, but jealous in the extreme. But I know your feelings and am not the type to press, so leave it, please. We've greater things at hand regardless…"

"Fair…" She was anxious and upset, he could tell, but he didn't see a lie on her face and accepted it without any real doubt. Moving on, he sighed and added, "Don't forget Neo is with Cinder right now."

"I know."

"And we're going to do…?"

"I don't know." She sighed, throwing her arms up in confusion and exasperation. Turning, she flopped onto her bed with a grunt and sighed again, staring up at the dorm ceiling for a while before she said, "For now… We don't have much time until Ren and Nora get back with dinner."

"Yeah."

"And you want this kept from them yet…"

"Yeah…"

"Jaune-"

"I know, I know. I'm already thinking about it, Pyr." He cut her off, looking to the door as feet pattered by and on up the hall. It left a silence behind that he didn't like, and that he rushed to fill. "Before, this secret was… Personal. No one was in danger because of it. No one except me…"

"But now, your secret could be feeding into a far larger danger." Pyrrha finished for him, sitting up and crossing her legs. Meeting his eyes, she said, "You need to tell Nora and Ren, Jaune."

"I know…"

"Before you tell Ozpin."

"I know, Pyrrha. Believe me, I know." He agreed with that so much that he'd already thought about it himself. But… Well, "I don't even know where to start, though. I mean, with you, it wasn't nearly as… I don't know, big as it all is now."

"I would suggest the beginning." He grimaced at that but the Mistralian raised a hand to ask for his quiet and then went on when he nodded. "Nora and Ren love you, Jaune, it's no exaggeration. You're their leader, and one of their best friends in the entire world. Just explain the situation, and they will understand."

"Before or after Nora hits me…?"

"I'm afraid that's a bit unavoidable, Jaune." Pyrrha smiled, "But you surely know they'll forgive you regardless."

"Yeah…" After a broken jaw, sure, but they'd forgive him. Sighing, Jaune nodded and turned to the door. "Well, I guess I just have to wait for them to get here, now."

"It shouldn't be long, Jaune." Pyrrha chuckled, shaking her head, "Nora can put food away, but… Well, it's been over half an hour since we left them in the dining hall. Even she has to be getting close to full."

"Yeah…" Still, Jaune hated just sitting and waiting, with nothing to really do to even pass the time.

It just made it all so much worse, somehow.

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"While I infiltrate the dance proper, you're to keep quiet and stay under the radar. Though, the former should be easy enough for you..." Cinder finished her briefing, now that the mute was safely tucked away in their dorm, identity well-hidden by her Semblance.

At least, well hidden aside from the obvious arrogance and boredom the woman was putting off, leaned against the wall he rbed was pushed against with her legs crossed under her and her chin in her hand. She was fairly certain it was all an act. Neo always turned to watch her when she came into the room, after all, and Cinder knew she was watching Cinder herself rather than ogling her thanks to her experiences with Emerald's less than subtle eyes.

But if she was putting on airs, that meant she was frightened.

Which suited Cinder's coming needs well enough.

"Once the dance comes, it will be a waiting game until the Vytal Festival begins." Cinder went on, sitting on her own bed with her arms crossed and a hot cup of tea on the nightstand beside her. She took a sip from it before going on, "Only a week, but do not let the short time make you lax. If anyone betrays my mission here, know that they will not enjoy the consequences."

"Got it."

"Yes, Ma'am."

All Neo offered was a raised thumb and a nod, but then, that was all she could offer. So Cinder had little option but to accept it. And incentivize it with a smirk, adding, "And let's not forget dear Roman, all alone up on the good General's air-ship. I'd hate to see something happen to him."

Neo's brows furrowed into a glare, and her shoulders scrunched for the threat, but she nodded understandingly regardless. Smiling, Cinder returned to her tea and waved for them to let her be now that all was said and done. Mercury was the first to move, hopping up and heading for the shower while Emerald flicked her Scroll open to read and Neo…

Laid down for a nap.

Well, who was Cinder to judge what Neo did? At least so long as it didn't risk her operation, that was.

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"So…" Nora drawled, laying on her bed and pitching a ball against the wall - the one that bordered outside, thankfully - and catching it as she thought. "So you're doing one of the people that caused the Breach?"

"N-No!" He flushed and flinched, sitting on his own bed with Pyrrha sitting behind him for moral support. She coughed meaningfully, and teasingly, and Jaune grimaced, "W-We aren't doing anything like that!"

"But you are together?" Ren asked from the floor, where he'd spent the last half an hour meditating while Jaune talked.

"I… Guess?" They'd kissed and they'd cuddled, but the latter they'd been doing for a long while already. So did adding the first part mean they were together? Jaune couldn't be sure, and with everything else going on, he hadn't thought to ask. "It's weird, but the details aren't super important."

"Aren't they, though?"

"Not to me." He answered, flicking Nora a look and adding, "They're my friends regardless. And I'll fight for that, so… Yeah, the details on my and Neo's relationship don't matter to me much."

"That's kinda sweet…" Nora murmured, sighing tiredly and shrugging as the ball came back to her. "So, you didn't tell us about all this because…?"

"If I got caught, and you didn't know, you wouldn't be on the hook." He shrugged, "If you did know, you could lose your tuition. Or worse, go to jail. Faking transcripts, and enabling that, is… A big deal, legally. And being friends with people like Roman and Neo? Icing on the cake, you know?"

"Kind of a shit cake…"

"Nora." Ren sighed, "Language."

"I'm not on a PG show, Renny." She sighed, "I can say 'fuck'."

Ren chuckled and so did Nora, but Jaune could feel how tense it was. Not quite forced, but… Put on, like the amusement was a side-thought. Something they were barely paying any mind to. But Jaune couldn't really fault either of them for it. They were thinking about a lot right now, and all of it was bigger than whether Nora should say 'Fuck' or not.

Finally, Pyrrha spoke up, quiet but firm, and said, "I think that we all need to decide, here and now, what we feel about all of this. Not because your feelings are unimportant, I would hope you know better than to think that of me. But because… Well, because it feels as if a war of some kind is coming for us. And we need to know where we stand when it comes for us. Doubts will only founder the shield-wall, as they say."

"Who says that….?"

"Mistralians?"

"Pyr, I'm Mistralian too." Nora pointed out quietly, rolling onto her stomach and smiling at the red-haired woman. "And I've… Never heard that. Like, from anyone."

"A character in the third Spruce Willis movie said it." Ren offered quietly, "I… Think she was supposed to be Mistralian."

"Pyr, are you using a stereotype meme from a ten year old action movie to get your sage catchphrases…?"

"I-I am most certainly not!" The champion fighter stammered in surprise, standing up and waving both her hands in the air excitedly, as if the joke was a smell she could waft away. "H-How could you even- Why would you suggest- Nora!"

"What?" The other Mistralian giggled, kicking her feet in the air behind her and grinning. "You were being so dramatic! I had to break the tension, ya know?"

"Dramatic?!"

"We're upset, of course, that you lied to us. But we knew you were lying already. Nora and I have talked about it a few times." Ren explained quietly, still meditating comfortably in spite of everything. He did spare them a little smirk over his shoulder, though, adding, "And now I owe her a hundred Lien for you not having transcripts, too."

"A hundred…?"

"We were running a bet." Nora explained, rolling over and hopping up, "But honestly? Glad you're being straight now, glad you got someone cute to hang on your arm, and if you say Roman and Neo aren't that bad… Well, I trust you."

"As do I." Ren offered too, "At least, long enough to meet them."

"You guys…" Jaune blinked and smiled, warmth in his chest. "Thanks, guys. I appreciate it alot."

"Oh, don't think I'm not about to knock you the hell out." Nora pointed out, slamming her fist into her open palm. "Just means it ain't gonna mean anything tomorrow. Ya know?"

"Nora…"

"Renny?"

"You can't hit Jaune." The man sighed, "He has to go meet with Headmaster Ozpin. You can't put him in the medical wing."

"C'mon, Renny!" She whined, "Just a lil' love tap! Right on the chin, not even the nose or nothin', promise."

"Nora…"

"Renny~!"

"Nora, no." The man sighed, standing and turning to point at her. "Bad Nora."

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"We're still hunting for her, but… Rest assured, when we find her, we will bring her to justice." The girl didn't answer, of course. At least, not beyond the beeping of monitors, humming of computers, and whooshing of ventilators and filters. He smiled, though, resting his hand on the glass over her face and adding, quietly, "I'm so sorry, Amber. But I swear, I will keep my word."

Even if she'd never know.

Even if she'd be dead first…

"Ah." His smile fell a bit as heavy, familiar steps echoed around the wide hall called his gaze around, back towards the door. "James. How good to see you, as always. And right on time, too."

"I keep my word, Ozpin. Even when you're being the fool." He growled, slamming a foot into the back of the bare-chested man's knee and forcing him down. The man was tall and a bit thin, but decently muscled.

He was also covered in mostly-healed bruises that drew a frown of of the old Wizard, and a sharp glare with it.

"James…"

"Injuries from his arrest." The General answered dismissively, face flat and impassive. Was he using his Semblance, Ozpin wondered? But he was speaking again before Ozpin could even threaten to ask, "I disciplined the officers involved, but you understand that there was a lot of… Tension, after the Breach."

"Of course." Ozpin smiled, flicking a look to the man and then back to the General. "Is the Hood necessary?"

"Is that a real question?"

"I suppose it isn't." He sighed, turning back to Amber with a frown and then shrugging, "You may go now, James."

"What?" The man grunted, "Ozpin, he's-

"Far less dangerous than I am, I assure you." He countered hotly, smiling over a shoulder and paying the man a nod. "Please, James. I'm sure there's plenty more you could be doing, and I can more than handle one abused thief on my own."

"You play dangerous games, Ozpin."

"Oh, I know, and I'm sure it will be the absolute death of me, too." Ozpin chuckled as he turned back to Amber once again. Only when he heard the other man's heavy footsteps fade away did he turn, flicking a finger of magic to undo the cuffs binding the man's hands and smiling. "Please, do make yourself more comfortable."

The man grunted and staggered up, yanking the black sack off his head and pitching it away and then doing the same with the gag in his mouth. Working his jaw, Roman growled, "Well, that was… Fun."

"I am sorry for your treatment." Ozpin sighed, frowning as he looked over the man's bruises and batterment. For a moment, he considered laying hands on the man, mending him through magic excused as Semblance. But he didn't, instead offering Roman a small smile, "James can be.... Rough."

"Is this where you make excuses for him?" The thief asked, massaging his jaw and quirking a brow.

"No excuses." Ozpin lied smoothly, tucking his tailored lines away at the man's words and smiling all the while. "Only my apologies. And my thanks, of course."

"Your thanks…?"

"Mister Arc made quite the delivery boy." Ozpin answered smoothly, smile warming a bit when Roman's jaw clenched. "Don't fret, he did all he could to avoid being seen. But a spy, he is not."

"...Yeah, fair." Roman grunted after a few seconds of considerate staring. As if he had been trying to read whatever lies Roman expected the man to be offering written down his back. Finding nothing, the man seemed to give up and move on, sighing quietly, "Kid's too honest for his own good."

"Some would say honesty is a good thing…"

"Some would say you can fuck a Beowolf." Roman countered smoothly, "Stupid comes in a lot o' places."

"That's fairly… Specific." And vulgar, but he suspected that was part of the purpose. Moving on, Ozpin asked, "You aren't going to ask the obvious?"

"Just to be clear, the obvious is 'Who is the hot girl in her undies' right?"

"I wouldn't put it that way, but…"

"Eh, fair." Roman shrugged, "Comatose and bandages aren't exactly my cups of tea either. But to your point- No, I wasn't gonna ask."

"No?"

"Way I see it, you're either already gonna tell me, probably as some long winded 'for the greater god, we need you' spiel, or she's meant as a threat. 'You'll be in there next' kind of deal." The famous thief rattled out, slipping a hand into a pocket, grimacing, and then crossing his arms over his chest. "Bastard stole my cigars… Forgot about that."

"I'll see about replacing them."

"You're a saint, old man."

"That I most certainly am not." But Roman wouldn't believe the explanation of that, so he pushed on and ignored it. "Her name is Amber. She's… Special, in a way that drew attention to her. In a way that got her attacked."

"Special how?"

"You'll understand if I don't simply hand you the keys to the proverbial Kingdom, I hope." Roman shrugged and nodded understandingly, and Ozpin chuckled. At least the man knew his place, so to say. "The point is, Roman, I believe her attacker and the person behind the Breach you warned me about to be one and the same. And to hold designs on Beacon, as well."

"I dunno about Sleeping Beauty here, but the bitch behind the Breach does have some plans. For Vale, Beacon and more." Roman stepped up beside him and turned, leaning against the capsule Amber lay in. Arms crossed he smirked around a busted lip and cocked his head, "But come one, Old Man. Don't tell me you expect something for nothing, here."

"Of course not." He smiled, fishing the photo out of his pocket and holding it out to the thief. When Roman took it, Ozpin spoke, "The young woman in that picture? Your partner. To start with, I'm prepared to use my influence to have her granted a pardon for her crimes."

"No shit?"

"She's mostly blamed with the lesser crimes as is." Ah, the wonders of systemic sexism… But at least it was useful in this instance. "That is, of course, predicated on your helping me. And on her enrolling here, at Beacon."

"She won't like that…"

"She will enjoy having to attend classes more than having to work the prison work lines, I'm certain." Ozpin countered, "Or do you disagree? I, for one, do not think a small thing like her would do particularly well in a prison setting."

"That's low."

"But true." Ozpin nodded when Roman's glare only hardened, "We do what we must, Mister Torchwick. Help me, and at the very least, I give her a roof, a career, and guarantees of food and medical care. And, depending on what you offer me, I may be able to help you as well."

"She'll kill me if she finds out."

"Vale will kill you regardless." Ozpin countered smoothly, "Much as I do dislike it, we do have the death penalty here."

"Bastard…"

"Quite." Ozpin hummed, watching Amber sleep as he chuckled. "But I'm an honest one, at least. And one that rewards my help well. And besides, this is the best deal you are likely to get, is it not?"

"I guess, yeah…" Roman sighed, offering him a dirty hand. Ozpin turned and took it, shaking it firmly, "Just don't screw me, right?"

"Why Roman." Ozpin smiled thinly, "I would never dream of it, I assure you. You can trust me, at least to keep my word."

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Joe Cola :

1. Yeah. Poor Roman…

2. Actually no! But that was never super important anyway, lol. I just wanted to show Cinder was being proactive.

3. Yes!

Human Dragon :

Happy you're enjoying it!